Diethanolamine absorption, metabolism and disposition in rat and mouse following oral, intravenous and dermal administration

Abstract

1. The disposition of [¹⁴C]diethanolamine (DEA) (1) was determined in rat after oral, i.v. and dermal administration, and in mouse after dermal administration. 2. Oral administration of DEA to rat was by gavage of 7 mg/kg doses once and after daily repeat dosing for up to 8 weeks. Oral doses were well absorbed but excreted very slowly. DEA accumulated to high concentrations in certain tissues, particularly liver and kidney. The steady-state of bioaccumulation was approached only after several weeks of repeat oral dosing, and the half-life of elimination was approximately 1 week. 3. DEA was slowly absorbed through the skin of rat (3-16% in 48 h) after application of 2-28 mg/kg doses. Dermal doses ranging from 8 to 80 mg/kg were more readily absorbed throughmouseskin(25-60%) in 48 h of exposure,withthe percent of the applied dose absorbed increasing with dose. 4. Single doses (oral or i.v.) of DEA were excreted slowly in urine (c. 22-25% in 48 h) predominantly as the parent compound. There was minimal conversion to CO₂ or volatile metabolites in breath. The profile of metabolites appearing in urine changed after several weeks of repeat oral administration, with significant amounts of N-methylDEA and more cationic metabolites appearing along with unchanged DEA.